Belt-lacing machine.



J. A. BECK L 0 GIBBON, BELT LACNG MACHINE. APPLICATION HLED AUG.5, 1909.

993,543@ Panama May 30, 19u.

JOSEPH A. RECK, OF ADRIAN,- AND ORRIS GIBBON, E HILLSDALE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGN- ORS, BY' MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO MALCOLM W. EDGAR, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

BELT-LACING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 5, 1909. Serial No. 511,412.

To allv 'whom 'it may concern:

i citizen of the United States, residing at Ad-l 1 use the same.

.spaced apart and in rian, in the county of Lenawee and State of Michigan, and Onins GinnoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hillsdale, in the county of Hillsdale and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LBelt-Lacing Machines; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it apperta'ins to make and This invention has reference to belt-lacing machines. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a portable machine adapted to receive and contain the hooks to be attached to the ends ofthe belt, in combination with movable die-members which may be operated by any suitable actuating'or power de-., vices for forcing said die-members together and thereby connecting the hooks to the belt. A further object of the present invention is to provide a belt-lacing machine with al "hook retainer for holding the hooks suitably aced apart, in combination with oppositely movable die-members yieldingly held normal position, the

matching faces of which are formed with a vplurality -of spaced grooves in alinement.

with the hooks, whereby when the die members are forced together, the grooves inatheir acting faces will form a seat for the engagortion of the die-members with the r hooks and hold the hooks in perfect working position during the forcing of the .pointedv ends of said hooks into the belt.

The invention has for its further object to pvide `a. belt-lacing Imachine wherein the hooks are forced into' the beit by means of mvable die-members operated by any/ suitable power, and wherein is provided anV eccentric member adapted to engage and hold different sizes of hooks in proper 'receiving position for the belt to which they' are to be attached, whereby the machine is made eapable of receiving and operating upon vari: ous sizes of hooks.

Fora further and full descriptionof the invention hei'ein and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of i eonstructionof the means for effecting the shaped, or approximately receiving sockets result, reference is had to the following description andv drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of our belt-lacing machine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of themachine; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a cross-section on-the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section of the hook showing the eccentric member engaging a hook; Fig. 6 is a view showing one of the hooks; Fig. 7 is a plan of a portion of the eccentric member, and Fig. 8 is a plan of a portion of two'ends of a belt showin how they are laced after the hooks are attac ed to the ends of the belt.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the figures.

In the drawings, supporting the operative parts of the device and said base plateis channeled out as at 10 forming a dove-tail groove in which are slidably mounted the oppositely movable diemembers 11. Extending transversely of and ata point preferably central of said base plate, a hook receiving member 12 is embed-- ded in said base plate, with the upper face of said member 12 preferably flush with the upper face of saidplate, on which the diemembers 11 are slidably mounted.

The hook receivin member 12 is provided with a plurality 0% spaced, preferably V V shaped, hook p 13 which are separated from'each'other by the intervening walls 14 of any suitable thickness. Each wall 14 and' retainer,

9 denotes a base plate forvided with an opening 15, which openings are located at a suitable point above the base of the sockets 13, and in axial alinement with each other, whereby when ahook has. `been placed in each socket, a pin or similar member 16 may be projected across the member 12, through the openings '15'and above that portion of the ihooks -in the base of the sockets, for locking the hooks in the receiving member 12, preparatory to'receiving the en d of the belt between the'pointed ends of the hooks. The receiving member 12 l:is preferably made in half sections, as

ion

shown, and thefparts united bythe pin 17,

see Fig. 2.

The die-members 11 are yieldingly held spaced apart by coil springs 18. The inner ends of the springs bearing against the hook receiving member 12 and their outer ends bearing against shoulders 19 formed on the members 12 are each' provided With a plurality of spaced grooves 23. These grooves (are in alinement With the sockets 13 in the member 12, so that when the members are moved toward each other, the opposite endsand sides of the hooks will be seated in the grooves 23 and held in perfect Working position during the operation of forcing the pointed ends of the hooks. into and through the belt to Which they are to be attached. In this way there is no chance for the pointe ed ends of the hooks cauting sidewise when entering the belt, and thus there is insured a perfect lace when the ends of the belt are lbrought together, as seen in Fig. 8.

lfVe preferv to use hooks like those shown inthe figures, particularly Fig. 6, where a V shaped, or approximately V shaped hook is shown, having diverging sides, one of Which is shorter than the other and having their ends turned inwardly, as at 24 and 25 and projected toward cach other. `These hooks are intended to be made in various v,the sockets 13 in the member 12 will receive the largest as Well as the smallest. In this case, m'eans is provided for engaging,- the hooks `to adjust them in positionnso that their hooked ends Will fall into alinement, so that a belt may be passed down between the same, as shown in Fig. 3. For this purpose We provide the rotatable rod 26, see Figs. 5 and 7, extending through and journaled in the member 12 and having the Acrank'27 for turning the same.- Where the rod coincides ,with a socket 13 it is formed With an eccentric engaging portion 28. Thus When different sizes of hooks are placed in the member 12, the rod 26 may be operated to engage the hooks to adjust them in the manner stated. 1

In operation, an operator Will place as many hooks in the member 12 as will be required to extend across the belt to be-laced,

it being understood that the machine mayl be made of a size to receive all sizes of belts,

or of different sizes. posltion, they are locked by inserting the rod 16l through the openings 15, in manner pre-` After the hooks are in.

viously explained. This done, the'operator n will place the :machine in a vise or other power device, whereby the die-members 11 may be forcibly brought together. In the operation of bringing the members "11 together, the springs 418 Will be compressed;

and the grooves 23 ofthe die-members Will receive the hooks andhold them in Working position during the operation of forcing them through the belt, which has been previously passed down and between the hooked ends-24 and 25 of said hooks. has been accomplished, the members 11 are released, allowing the springs 18.to expand moying the members 1l to their separate position, when the pin 16 may be removed,

When this and the belt removed with the hooks atltached. This operation may be referred to as the first operation, or the operation of attaching the hooks to the end a of the belt.

The machine isagain supplied with hooks,l v

when it may again be operated to attachhooks to the end Z), being the opposite endv of the belt. The hooks are preferably placed in the member 12, so that the hooked vends 24 and of each adjacent hook will be alternately disposed. This will cause the endsof each hook to overlap When entering the-- ica laced, as shown in Fig. 8, and a piece of raW- hide or other attaching means may be passed` through the hooks for retaining them in laced relation.

. It is obvious that the lacing means shown may be used for lacing the opposite ends of ,a belt, and is also useful for lacing the matching ends of a belt, where it may be desirable to do so. v

In the construction herein shown, the movable die-'members 11 entend beyond ythe sides of the'base and are, provided with shoulders 30, so that the tool may be put between the open jaws of an ordinary vise these shoulders resting upon the two jaws o the vise, and, as the vise is closed, the two die-members will bev caused to approach and collapse the hooks.

Having thus fully vdescribed our invention, What We claimand desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a base-plate, means for holdin a plurality of belt-lacing-hooks on sai plate, movable die-members mounted on said plate and formed wit-h hook-receivinggrooves, yielding means for normally hold ing said die-members in spaced relation7 and locking means bers.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a base-plate, means for holding aplurality of belt-lacing-hoolrs on said plate,

for-connecting said die-mem- 'movable-die-members mounted on said plate land formed with hook-receiving-grooves, guiding means for maintaininga proper relation between the'die-members and said base-plate, yielding means for normally holding said die-members in spaced relation, and locking means for connecting the diemembers.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a stationary base-plate, means Jfor holding the belt-lacing hooks on said plate, and movable die-members slidingly engaging the stationary plate upon opposite sides ot the -hoo t-holder and projecting laterally beyond the base-plate, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination oi a stationary base-plate, means centrally in the upper tace thereof for holding a plurality ot belt-lacing hooks, movable die-members .sliding engaging with said baseplate on opposite sides of the hookholder, said die-members extending laterally beyond the sides of the base-plate, and supporting shoulders on the die-meinbers `for supporting the entire device from the diemembers. 1

5. The combination of a base, a hook-receiving block arranged transversely to the base and having a vertically open V-shaped recess in its face, die members slidingly engaging with the base and adapted to be moved across the outer edges ot the recess, for the purpose specilied.

6. The combination of a base, a hook-receivingiblock arranged transversely to the base and having a series of separated open V-shaped recesses in its face, in which the apex of V-shaped clips are adapted to be engaged, there being an aperture through the walls between the recesses near the bottom thereof,I a pin adapted to be engaged therethrough, and die members slidingly engaging with the base on opposite sides of the recesses and adapted to be moved partially across the edges thereot inwardly from op posite sides.

T. The combination otl a base, a hook-receiving recessed block centrally of the base and dies slidingly engaged with the base on opposite sides of the block and projecting laterally beyond the outer edges thereof, the inner faces of the' die members adapted to be moved partially across the opposite edges ot' the recesses.

S. The combination of a base having eentrally thereof a tl-shaped recess adapted to receive the apex of \"-shaped clips, die members slidingly engaging the base on opposite sides ot the recess and adapted to be Amoved inwardly over the outer edges thereof.

9. The combination of a base having centrally thereoi' a V-shaped recess adapted to receive the apex or' V-shaped clips, die members slidingly engaging the base on opposite sides ot the recess, adapted to be moved inwardly over the outer edges thereof, and actuating portions ot the dies extending laterally beyond the edges of the base.

vl0. The conibination of a base having a central V-sliaped recess, die members sliding on the base on opposite sides thereof, ladapted to be separated beyond the edges of the recess or to be moved inward across the edges thereof from opposite sides, the dies projecting` beyond the edges ot' the base, and shoulders on the dies beyond the base, adapted to rest upon actuating jaws.

In testimony whereo'tl we atlix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH A. RECK. ORRIS GIBBON.

Vitnesses Josrn l). Lms,

II. I. C. IIAu'r. 

